Plastic composition suitable for making carved flower-beads and process of making the same.



lllftTTETi @TATFEfi PATENQZ DOROTHY HALL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PLASTIC COMPOSITION SUITABLE FOR MAKING CARVED FLOWER-BEADS AND PROCESSOF MAKING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Jan. is, tore.

No Drawing. Application filed April 5, 1915, Serial No. 19,339. RenewedNovember 16, 1917. Serial No. 202,423.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOROTHY HALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in PlasticCompositions Suitable for Making Carved Flower- Beads and Processes ofMaking the Same.

It is an object of my invention to devise a process whereby carvedflower beads suitable for necklaces and similar articles may be producedwhich are superior in hardness and density and which have a beautifulvelvet gloss.

Another object of the invention is to devise a method whereby the samemay be easily manufactured producing beads which will be durable andwhich may be worn without fear of discoloring the skin or garment.

I use the following ingredients for compounding the composition of thecarved flower beads, the proportions given being by weight:

Corn starch 40 parts Potato dextrin 10 Gum tragacanth d Common salt 3These ingredients are pulverized and thoroughly mixed together. WVater,preferably luke warm, is now added in quantity sufficient to make apaste of the consistency of chewing gum. Any desired color or tint isimparted to the composition by previously dissolving in the water thecolor with which it is desired to tint the beads.

The composition is now allowed to stand in an air tight receptacle forapproximately twentyfour hours to undergo an aging process. The dextrinin the composition acts as a binder for holding the starch particlestogether while the gum tragacanth slowly absorbs the moisture within.the composition and in doing so swells and becomes a mucilagenous paste.Gum tragacanth, as well known, is not soluble in water. The salt, incombination with the other ingredients, serves to harden the resultingbeads and the dextrin and, probably to some extent, the gum tragacanthalso, prevents the salt from crystallizing when the water is removedfrom the composition in the subsequent drying.

At the end of twenty-four hours the composition is now molded or workedinto the desired shape such as beads or elongated beads, brooches, watchfobs and the like, with configurations in the shape of petals of flowersor other designs. The composition has the plasticity and consistency ofa piece of chewing gum after it has been thoroughly chewed. Perfume, ifdesired, is added to the composition just before molding and carving, asthe operation of impressing various shapes of petals and such like onthe beads is called.

It is essential that the beads be uniformly dried, otherwise stresseswill be set up in the beads resulting in cracks and fissures therein.The beads are placed in a chamber con taining humidified air somewhatbelow the saturation point. After a few days the beads are hardened andready for use.

While the proportions of the ingredients above given may be slightlyvaried. the bestresults will be secured by closely following thedirections.

The paste suitable for making beads and similar articles may be sold asan article of commerce.

I claim:

1. A composition of matter consisting of a plastic paste comprisingstarch, dextrin, gum tragacanth, salt, and coloring matter,substantially as described.

2. A process of making carved flower beads, comprising adding water to apowdered 1niX- ture of starch, dextrin, gum tragacanth and common saltto form a plastic mass, allowing said mass to undergo an aging processfor approximately twenty-four hours in an air tight receptacle, shapingthe mass into beads, and drying said beads in a moist atmosphere,substantially as described.

3. A process of making carved flower beads, comprising adding water to apow dered mixture consisting of starch 40 parts, dextrin 10 parts, gumtragacanth 4 parts, and common salt 3 parts, to form a plastic mass,allowing said mass to stand for ap proximately twenty-four hours,shaping till said mass into beads and drying said beads in moistatmosphere, substantially as described.

4. An article of manufacture consisting of a carved flower bead composedof corn starch, dextrin, gum tragacanth, and common salt.

5. An article of manufacture consisting of a carved flower bead composedof corn starch 40 parts, deXtrin 10 parts, gum trag- 10 acanth parts,and common salt 3 parts.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 30th day of March, 1915.

DOROTHY HALL.-

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents.

WashingtomD. C.

